Meat is the heart of Argentinian cuisine, and a lavish steak feast should be on the top of any foodie’s “Buenos Aires Bucket List.”
But how much will a prime cut, melt in your mouth steak (obviously) accompanied by Malbec from Argentina set you back?
I headed to La Cabrera in Buenos Aires to find out!
La Cabrera is a famous steak house in Palermo that has been serving up highly coveted portions of meat since 2002. It is a frequent guest on “best steak houses in Buenos Aires” lists, and if you don’t make a reservation, expect to wait.
Pro: There’s a bar across the way called Fu King where you can snag a drink and giggle at the clever name to pass the time.
La Cabrera is massive, but the floor plan is divided up in smaller rooms with dim lighting and quirky décor strewn across the walls. It’s warm and cozy with an ambiance that’s far more homely than it is pretentious.
All the staff were friendly and attentive. Our waiter spoke English, which made ordering a breeze.
The Wine and Appetizers
I meticulously read over La Cabera’s wine list. Not because I know anything about wine, but because I was worried about the price. Malbec is THE wine to get in Argentina, so we choose a bottle that wasn’t quite the cheapest, but not outrageously pricey. We settled on one that was $6940 pesos/ $38usd. Not too bad for a fancy steak house! (For a look at the menu click HERE.)
Our waiter brought out a bread basket as well as a beautiful array of ramekins filled with tasty items. There was an applesauce, creamed corn, vegetable medley, mashed potato, and a pumpkin mash.
They were all “included”, but there was a cubierto/cover charge of $1040 pesos/$5.71usd on the bill at the end. Nothing is free… even in Argentina.
The Steaks
Two massive plates of meat were placed before us. One man shined a flashlight onto the glistening, steaming specimens while another man sliced each like soft butter down the middle to ensure they were cooked to our liking.
The ribeye was a hefty 600g/21.2oz. It had incredible marbling and totally melted in my mouth. It came in at $8020 pesos/$44.27usd.
We ordered a ½ portion of tenderloin, but it looked like a double. It was equally astounding with a rich flavor and mind-boggling texture. This bad boy was $5700pesos/$31.46usd. Seemed like a pretty great deal given the fact we had two steaks.
Both had a lovely charred flavor with just enough salt. *Chef’s kiss*.
The Sides
We ordered a side of fries because it seemed like the thing to do. I was so consumed by the steak that they were but a mere distraction. But a distraction that cost $1410pesos/ $7.78usd.
Our waiter came by with a board full of additional sides asking if we’d like any. I assumed it was merely an upsell and kindly declined. He left us with 3 anyways… leaving me to think they were in fact included.
And the total bill at La Cabrera came to….
$23890pesos/ $131.92usd
We each left an additional cash tip. I’m not to sure how much it was, but my guess is it was generous considering the Malbec was gone.
Note: Tipping is not customary in Argentina. But if you loved the service, 10% is a great way to show your appreciation.
Pricey for a frugal foodie. Pretty reasonable for one of the best steakhouses in Argentina!
Cheers to a food adventure for the books, and many more to come.
Hungry for more Argentine eats? Get the scoop on choripan HERE!
2 thoughts on “How Much Does a Fancy Steak Dinner in Argentina Cost?: A Review of La Cabrera in Buenos Aires”
ok. now we are talking that looks brilliant and frankly for 600gram not too expensive at all. I am quite sure for 600 gram of steak in Australia that is actually VERY well priced. works out at around $62AUD and a few months back I paid $60 for a steak and a glass of wine, but it was 300 gram. oh there was a side salad and chips. but still. just want to check – no meat was left on the plate between the two of you????
and GET THIS….. it was actually nearly half the price because of something called “blue dollar.”